Fly-tying vise



April 21, 1953 H. L. THOMPSON 2,635,495

FLY-TYING VISE Filed March 28, 1952 4 2 4 INVENTOR.

fi/sener z, fl/a/v m/v 13-- BY Patented Apr. 21, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in Vises.

My invention relates more particularly to vises of the type chiefly used for making artificial fishing flies and lures.

Fly-tying vises in the past have usually included a pedestal bench clamp, a standard vertically adjustable therein and a vise angularly disposed at the top end of the standard. The vise includes the usual collet having a pair of jaws capable of receiving the barbed end of a hook and means for holding the barbed end of the hook firmly therebetween while the fly is being made.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a vise of the type described that is capable of maximum adjustment, ease of operation and able to withstand long and hard usage Without becoming broken or getting out of order.

Other advantages reside in the novel construction of the various parts and their method of assembly, all as more clearly shown and described in the accompanying description, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings, upon which Fig. 1 is a front perspective view generally of a fly-tying vise including the standard and bench clamp with which it may be provided;

Fig. 2 is a full sized side elevational view of the vise with the standard broken off and parts in cross-section to more clearly show other parts;

Fig. 3 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional View through the connection between the standard and the vise taken generally on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank from which the finger lever and cam are formed;

Fig. 6 is a plan view of the blank from which the body of the vise is formed;

Fig. '7 is a side elevational view of the split collet which I employ, and

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the end of the collet and cam taken on line 8-8 of Fig. 2.

Fly-tying vises of the type to which this invention is directed may generally include a bench clamp III which supports a standard l2 to the upper end of which a fly-tying vise i4 is connected. The bench clamp has a thumb screw H for fastening the standard l2 at a desired height from the clamp. The upper end 26 of the standard has parallel flattened sides with radial serrations l3 about an opening l5 therethrough.

The vise may generally include a body member [6 formed from a blank 18, the blank being formed with a pair of ears 20 and 22 which,

when the body is lowered about a standard, extend downwardly as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. Serrations S are placed in one or both of the ears 20 and 22 to more effectively grip the head 26 at the upper end of the standard 12. A screw member 23 and nut 30 serve to fasten the body of the vise to-the head of the standard and permit angular adjustment as desired.

The vise may include a split collet member 32 which has collet jaws 34 and 36 normally separated as shown in Fig. 7, but having conical shoulders 38 and 40 so that when it is received in the body It of the vise, the jaw surfaces may engage a conical annular opening 42 in the thimble 44 fastened to the end of the body [6.

The extended end 33 of the collet may be a shank which is flattened on two sides and connected to a combined finger lever and cam 50 fastened to the end of the collet by means of a pin member 52. Cam surfaces 54 on the cars 53 are adapted to bear against a washer 56 slidably mounted on the flattened shank 33 of the collet as the finger lever is raised to re tract the collet 32, thus pressing together the collet jaws 34 and 36 to grasp the barb of a fish hook F to hold it firmly in position so that the fly-tying operation can be accomplished.

The body I6 is screw-threaded at one end as shown at 60 to receive a knurled nut member 62 and a lock nut 64 screw-threadedly mounted thereon to determine the adjustment on the opening and closing of the jaws of the collet.

As can be seen from the foregoing description, the vise which I have provided is constructed of a comparatively few parts, the elongated and flattened tempered steel collet having flattened collet jaws to permit firm gripping of even the smallest hooks for midges. Full adjustment for position and for wear is provided in the vise, and with the operators fingers alone the knurled spacer can be turned and locked to cause the cam lever to bind wherever it is most convenient.

The collet may also be turned in the body I6 to hold a hook out of vertical if desired. The simple action of the cam lever to grasp or release the hook is the ultimate in speed and convenience. Due to the fact that the combined finger lever and cam and the body are blanked out of steel and then formed to shape, the cost of manufacture and assembly is reduced to the minimum.

While I have illustrated and described a specific embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made in the exact 3 details shown, and I do not wish to be limited in any particular; rather what I desire to secure and protect by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A fly tying vise comprising a cylindrical body member formed from a fiat metal blank having a pair of side ears extending downwardly therefrom, said ears having serrations on their inner walls, a standard having flat sides adjacent its top end, an opening through said top end, a screw member extending through said ears and the opening in the top end of said standard, serrations around said opening cooperating with the serrations in said ears to lock said body member in a desired angular position, a collet telescopically mounted in said body member, said collet having an elongated shank with split j awsat the forward end of the same, a thimble fastened over the forward end of said body member, said thimble having a conical annular opening, conical shoulders on the ends of said jaws engaging said conical opening, acombined finger lever and cam connected to the back end of said collet, and a washer mounted on said collet and positioned against the back end of said body member for cooperating with said combined lever and cam to effect grasping or releasing of said collet jaws.

2. A fly tying vise comprising a cylindrical body member formed from a flat metal blank having a pair of side ears extending downwardly therefrom, said ears having serrations on their inner walls, a standard having fiat sides adjacent its top end, an opening through said top end, a screw member extending through said ears and the opening in the top end of said standard, serrations around said opening cooperating with the serrations in said ears to lock said body member in a desired angular position, a collet telescopically mounted in said body member, said collet having an elongated shank with split jaws at the forward end of the same, a thimble fastened over the forward end of said body member, said thimble having a conical annular opening, conical shoulders on the ends of said jaws engaging said conical-opening, a combined finger lever and cam connected to the back end of said collet, and a washer mounted on said. collet and positioned against the back end of said body member for cooperating with said combined leverand cam to effect grasping or releasing of said collet jaws,

said body member having a knurled nut member screw-threadedly mounted thereon-adjacent said washer to adjust the amount of opening of the collet jaws.

3. Any tying vise comprisinga cylindrical body member formed from a flat metal blank having a pair of side ears extending downwardly therefrom, a standard having fiat sides adjacent its top end, an opening through said top end, a screw member extending through said ears and the opening in the top end of said standard to lock said body member in a desired angular position, a collet telescopically mounted in said body member, said collet having an elongated shank with split jaws at the forward end of the same, a thimble fastened over the forward end of said body member, said thimble having a conical annular opening, conical shoulders on the ends of said jaws engaging said conical opening, a combined finger lever and cam connected to the back end of said collet, and a washer mounted on said collet and positioned against the back end of said body member for cooperating with said combined lever and cam to effect grasping or releasing of said collet jaws.

4. A fly tying vise comprising a cylindrical body member formed from a flat metal blank having a pair of side ears extending downwardly therefrom, a standard having flat sides adjacent its top end, an opening through said top end, a screw member extending through said ears and the opening in the top end of said standard to lock said body member in a desired angular position, a collet telescopically mounted in said body mem her, said collet having an elongated shank with split jaws at the forward end of the same, a thimble fastened over the forward end of said body member, said thimble having a conical annular opening, conical shoulders on the ends of said jaws engaging said conical opening, a combined finger lever and cam connected to the back end of said collet, and a Washer mounted on said collet and positioned against the back end of said body member for cooperating with said combined lever and cam to effect grasping or releasing of said collet jaws, said body member having a knurled nut member screw-threadedly mounted thereon adjacent said washer to adjust the amount of opening of the collet jaws.

5. A vise of the type described comprising a standard, said standard having flattened walls at its upper end and having an opening through its upper end with radial serrations on said walls about said opening, a tubular body member mounted thereon, said tubular body member composed of a flat blank formed and confined by a thimble at one end and tubular shaped rings at the other end, said body member having parallel perforated projecting integral ears extending downwardly therefrom which permit its attachment by a bolt to said standard to permit its vertical radial movement and permit its locking in a fixed position by means of a nut on said bolt pressing against the teeth on both sides of said standard against the ears of said tubular member.

HERBERT LEON THOMPSON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 634,022 Parker et al. Oct. 3, 1899 2,236,781 Pannier a- Apr. 1, 1941 2,586,636 Fischer et al Feb. 19, 1952 2,599,174 Hauser June 3, 1952 

